Business Communication

Unit 5

Unit 5
Structure: 5.1 Introduction Objectives 5.2 General Principles of Writing 5.3 Principles of Business Writing 5.4 Summary 5.5 Terminal Questions 5.6 Answers

Guidelines for Written Business Communication

5.1 Introduction
This unit will focus on how to improve your written communication in general and will also provide some introductory guidelines for effective business writing. Errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation and typing can be harmful, since they can lead to misunderstanding of a message and make the receiver lose confidence in the sender. Therefore it is important to strive for perfection in writing, in order to ensure that your message is received accurately. At the same time, you must remember that general writing is very different from business writing in terms of tone, language and degree of formality of the communication. Some of the dos and donts of business writing will be highlighted, which will lay the foundation for more detailed units on writing business letters and reports, later in this book. Objectives After studying this unit, you will be able to Evaluate your writing style Identify common errors in English usage Recognize the appropriate use of active and passive voice, grammar and punctuation Distinguish between general and business writing Compose a piece of business communication confidently

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5.2 General Principles of Writing

Written messages must be made as readable as possible, by making them uncomplicated and easy for even the average person to understand. Readability in turn is largely determined by the length of words, sentences and paragraphs. A common mistake made by writers, especially Indian writers, is to try and impress the reader by using flowery language and an oratory style of writing. Two broad principles of writing are Write to express, not to impress and Keep it short and sweet. A good writer is one who follows these principles and asks himself/herself even before framing a sentence What am I trying to say? What words will express it? Let us try to understand these principles by first looking at some tips on writing style, followed by some specific rules regarding English language usage, spelling and punctuation. 5.2.1 Tips on Writing Style Writing style can be vastly improved through the choice of words. Some of the common problems of word choice include use of complicated words, use of jargon, slang and colorful language and mistakes in various part-ofspeech categories. 1. Simple vs. Complex Words As far as possible, the sender should select words that are within the receivers vocabulary. If the words used are outside the vocabulary of the receiver, the latter may either not get the message at all, get the wrong message by guessing the meaning incorrectly, or wonder whether the sender intentionally selected a complicated word for making an impression. Therefore, it is better to rely on plain, simple words, such as the ones shown in the left column, rather than in the right column below, even though they mean the same thing About = Approximately Do = Accomplish Improve = Ameliorate Show = Demonstrate Change = Modify Ask = Interrogate

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This is because short, simple words convey ideas more effectively and require less time and space. They also invite the sender to concentrate on ideas, rather than calling attention to the words themselves. 2. Jargon, Slang and Metaphors Jargon refers to technical terms that belong to a particular subject area or discipline. For example, medical jargon would include terms that only medical practitioners and not the lay person might understand. Such terms are to be avoided in general writing, since they would be out of context. The only instance where jargon can be used and might be essential, is in reports of a highly technical nature, where the reader is in a position to understand these terms. Slang refers to casual words that are not accepted and recognized in a Standard English dictionary. While they could be used in a limited way in general or informal writing, they are to be avoided in business writing, which needs to be formal in nature. A metaphor is a figure of speech and refers to colorful comparisons which evoke visual images. Examples 1. He is rock solid in his support. 2. We provide an umbrella of insurance products for your security. While such comparisons may be used in informal writing or in the language of advertising, they are to be avoided in business communication which has to be objective and formal. 3. Parts of Speech In the same way that use of big, complicated words may result in receipt of the wrong message, use of small words in the wrong way grammatically could have the same result. Such problems exist in all part-of-speech categoriesNouns Just as the main actor in a film is the most important character, the subject in a sentence is the most important noun. There are two categories of nouns abstract nouns or nouns that cannot be visualized and concrete nouns or nouns that can be visualized. A message will be
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understood more clearly if concrete nouns are used as subjects in a sentence, rather than abstract nouns. Example Cancellation of the contract will be done in March. (use of abstract noun as subject) The contract will be cancelled in March. (use of concrete noun as subject) In the above example, the second sentence, using contract as the subject, is likely to be understood more clearly by the receiver. Not only is contract something which can be visualized, it also emphasizes the main idea in the sentence. Consider another example That decision can be made only by the supervisor. (abstract noun as subject) Only the supervisor can make that decision. (Concrete noun as subject) Pronouns Sometimes, using the masculine form of a pronoun might be taken in an offensive way by the receiver, especially if the receiver happens to be a woman. Even if the receiver is not a woman, the use of a masculine pronoun may convey the impression of being sexist. Consider the following example You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he has to be a specialist in the area of Finance. In the above sentence, the use of the masculine pronoun he conveys the unintentional message that professors can only be men and not women, which could be taken as an offense. Such offensive pronouns can be avoided in the following ways1. Avoid use of the pronoun completely Example You need to consult your professor on that subject, but a specialist in the area of Finance is required. 2. Repeat the noun Example You need to consult your professor on that subject, but the professor has to be a specialist in the area of Finance.
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3. Use a plural noun Example You need to consult some of your professors on that subject, but they have to be specialists in the area of Finance. (The use of they avoids implying that professors can be only men). 4. Use pronouns from both genders Example You need to consult your professor on that subject, but he or she has to be a specialist in the area of Finance. Another principle regarding use of pronouns is to avoid excessive use of the first person pronoun I, since this gives the impression that one is always talking about oneself. Never sound too pleased with yourself or boast of your own achievements. This is especially true of business writing, where it is important to be objective, rather than subjective. The second person pronoun you also needs to be used with care. A rule of thumb is to use the second person pronoun when emphasizing a positive idea or message and to avoid the second person when presenting a negative idea. The following example illustrates this You made a good presentation. You made a number of mistakes in the report. The first sentence contains a positive idea. Therefore, the second person pronoun should be used, since it gives credit to the person who made the presentation. On the other hand, the second sentence contains a negative idea and emphasizes that you are responsible. This should be avoided by framing the sentence differently, such as The report contained a number of mistakes. Verbs Since verbs are action words and action is an essential part of a sentence, correct use of verbs is important. Senders of messages must use verbs that agree in number with the subjects of the sentence. The following examples illustrate the misuse of verbs in sentences 1. Only one of the students are present. (Wrong usage) Only one of the students is present (right usage) 2. Each of the following reports have been modified. (Wrong usage) Each of the following reports has been modified. (Right usage)
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Note that the singular form of the verb and not the plural should be used in both the above sentences, to agree with the subject which is in singular form (Only one and Each). Verbs must also agree in person. The most common errors are made in agreement with the third person and the second person 1. He dont like to work late (wrong) He doesnt like to work late.(correct) 2. You was informed that the exams begin next week (wrong) You were informed that the exams begin next week. (Correct) Thirdly, since verbs indicate the time of action past, present or future, they should be used in the correct tenses. The tenses should also be used consistently. Consider the following examples 1. He listens to the presentation and gave his feedback. 2. The manager spoke to the customer, but does not respond to his complaint. In both the above sentences, it is not clear whether the event is past or present, since the tenses are not used uniformly. It is better to use two present tense verbs or two past tense verbs, but not one of each in the same sentence 1. He listens to the presentation and gives his feedback. 2. The manager spoke to the customer but did not respond to his complaint. Adjectives Adjectives give information about or describe nouns. Although they play a less important role in a sentence compared to verbs and nouns, they must be used with care. A common tendency is to use very strong adjectives, too many adjectives, or superlatives. Examples 1. Sales this year have been absolutely incredible. 2. That is the most wonderful, powerful and moving speech that I have heard in a long time. 3. Ours is the best product in the market today.
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In the first sentence, if a sales report is being written or presented, it would be better to give details about sales figures, rather than describe sales as incredible. In the second sentence, a single adjective could have been used in place of three adjectives, which are too many. The third example is a claim that needs to be defined ( i.e., best in what way?), or supported with adequate proof. Adverbs In the same way that adjectives describe nouns, adverbs describe or modify verbs, adjectives or other adverbs. Therefore, the same principles apply when using adverbs i.e., avoid use of adverbs that are too strong, or are superlatives Examples 1. Sales have been fantastically high this year. The adverb fantastically describes the adjective high and is too strong to be credible. 2. This secretary types the fastest. Here, the adverb fastest describes the verb types and is a superlative, which is to be avoided, unless it can be defined or supported with proof. Self Assessment Question Are the following statements true or false? 1. It is better to use the word cognizant, rather than aware. 2. The expression Her voice was silky smooth is an example of a metaphor. 3. Abstract nouns should be used as the subject in a sentence. 4. The sentence Each of the following employees are being promoted is grammatically correct. 5. Positive ideas may be expressed by using the second person pronoun. 5.2.2 Active vs. Passive Voice We discussed the correct use of verbs in the previous section. Verbs may also be classified as active verbs and passive verbs. Using the active voice means that the subject is the doer of the action and that the verb is active. On the other hand, a sentence in passive voice means that the subject is the receiver of the action and that the verb is passive.
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Examples John wrote the report. (Active voice). The report was written by John (Passive voice). Note that in the first sentence, the use of the active voice draws attention to the doer of the action. Namely John. This gives a sharper picture to the receiver of the message. In the second example, the subject, i.e., the report, is emphasized more than the doer of the action, giving a less clear picture to the receiver. In most cases, the active voice is preferable to the passive, since it conveys ideas more vividly. However, there are instances when use of the passive voice is more appropriate When the Doer of the Action has to be Subordinated, rather than Highlighted For example, this is the case when writing research reports. It is more important to emphasize what has been done, rather than who has done something. Therefore, it would be better to say A questionnaire was prepared and interviews were conducted among a small sample., rather than saying I prepared a questionnaire and conducted interviews among a small sample. This makes the report more objective, rather than subjective. When an Unpleasant or Negative Idea has to be Subordinated Generally, negative thoughts should be de-emphasized and not highlighted. The passive voice comes in useful in such cases, as illustrated in the example below

The corrections in the report have not been carried out. (Passive voice) You have not carried out the corrections in the report (active voice) The first sentence downplays a negative idea the fact that the changes in the report have not been included and is therefore less annoying to the receiver than the second. Expressing the same idea in active voice may seem like pointing fingers at the doer of the action and is likely to upset human relations. 5.2.3 Spelling and Punctuation The important point to remember with regard to spelling is the difference between British English and American English. Certain words are spelt differently in British and American English. Here are a few examples
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British Humour Colour Analyse Organisation Programme Centre Cheque

American Humor Color Analyze Organization Program Center Check

Generally British spellings should be used, unless you are addressing an American audience. In any case, either British or American spellings should be uniformly used and not mixed together, in order to ensure greater readability. Another common mistake made with spellings is to confuse the noun form with the verb form. Consider the following examples Noun Licence Advice Practice Verb License Advise Practise

Some words may sound the same but have different meanings when spelt differently. Some words may include a single vowel that makes them sound different and have very different meanings. It is important not to get confused with the spellings of these words Examples 1. Compliment means to praise someone, whereas complement means to go with ( e;g; your jewelry complements your outfit). 2. Stationery refers to paper, pencils, etc., whereas stationary means still or not moving. Punctuation Correct use of punctuation is important in both general writing, as well as in business writing. The main categories of punctuation and their uses are highlighted below

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1. Apostrophe To form the possessive singular e.g., the Companys profits. To form the possessive plural of words ending in s e.g., the dealers margins. In expressions that indicate ownership e.g., last years records. 2. Parentheses or Brackets To separate a phrase from the main section of a sentence, when it is not related to it grammatically e.g., The Indian team tried their best (God knows it) but lost in the finals. 3. Colon * To suggest that a list will follow a statement in sentence form e.g. ,For three reasons, we have decided to expand our market : 1) 2) 3). 4. Comma To separate words in a series e.g., The main punctuation categories are the full stop, the comma, the colon, the semi colon and the apostrophe. To separate two adjectives that modify the same noun e.g., The MBA exam is a long, difficult, objective type exam. 5. Dash * To separate the words in a sentence which are not necessary for its structure e.g., His answer the correct answer was supported by examples drawn from his own experience. 6. Full stop or Period At the end of a sentence After abbreviations e.g, Dr., No., Jr. 7. Quotation Marks To enclose what is stated by others, verbatim e.g., The manager said I will review your progress every month. To enclose titles of magazine and newspaper articles e.g., Progress in Stem Cell Research.

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8. Semicolon It is a pause that is longer than that expressed by a comma and is used to separate clauses of a compound sentence when they have a comma. Example We would like the material to be delivered in the morning hours, but before 5 pm will also be convenient. We would like the material to be delivered in the morning hours; but if this is not possible for you, before 5 pm will also be convenient. 5.2.4 Common Errors in English Indian English tends to be prone to some common mistakes which should be avoided, in order to make the communication clear and easily understood by the receiver. Some of these mistakes include redundancies, clichs and frequently misused words. We will discuss each of these briefly. 1. Redundancies These refer to phrases which contain repetitive or unnecessary words to express the same meaning. This is a common Indian tendency and must be avoided. Consider the following sentences 1. In the first class, the professor taught the basic fundamentals of Marketing. 2. I have to return back home before midnight. The highlighted words are redundancies. In the first sentence, basic is an unnecessary word, since fundamentals themselves are basic; in the second sentence, it is sufficient to say return home and back is an unnecessary word. Here are a few more examples True facts Past history Exactly identical Personal opinion Other alternative A redundancy does not serve any purpose and is a mistake since it wastes words.

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2. Cliches These are phrases that are overused and should be avoided, since they make reading monotonous. They should be substituted with more original expressions. Some commonly used clichs are 1. Last but not least, I would like to thank all the students for attending this session. 2. Thanking you in advance, I remain . 3. Looking forward to meeting and discussing this with you at an early date. 4. No problem. In the first sentence, last but not least, which is a worn expression, could be substituted for finally. The clich thanking you in advance is presumptuous, since it assumes that the reader will do whatever has been asked of him. It seems to say that instead of thanking him later, you will save time by expressing your thanks now. Therefore, it is better to say I shall appreciate your (action)or If you will (action), I shall be grateful. In the third example, the expression at an early date is too vague and should be substituted with soon or with a specific date. The fourth example No problem, is a clich used commonly by Indians. Although it denies that there is a problem, the problem exists. You might have said for example, that you did not have enough cash to pay for something, in response to which the shopkeeper may have said No problem. We accept credit cards. Therefore this expression is avoidable. 3. Frequently Misused Words Certain words which sound similar or are spelt slightly differently tend to be used in the wrong context. Some examples are given below 1. All together and altogether All together means in one group, whereas altogether means completely. Example The answer is altogether wrong. The students were all together. 2. Already and all ready Already means at a previous time, whereas all ready means everything is ready. Example He had already left when I called. The computers are all ready to be used.

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3. Eminent and Imminent Eminent means well known, imminent means about to happen. Example An eminent lawyer will handle the matter. A midterm election is imminent. 4. Lose and loose Lose means to fail to keep carefully, loose means not tight. Example Dont lose the money. The shirt is too loose for him. 5. Principal and principle Principal means main or primary, principle means rule. Example The principal reason for leaving early is the peak hour traffic. One of the subjects studied in the first semester of MBA is Principles of Management. Self Assessment Question 6. Match the following i) Passive voice ii) American spelling iii) Quotation marks iv) Redundancy v) Frequently misused words a) b) c) d) e) Labor Full complete Raise and rise Enclose title of an article Negative ideas

5.3 Principles of Business Writing

Having dealt with writing in general, we will now go briefly into the specifics of business writing. As pointed out earlier, the language, style and tone of business writing is very different from general writing. Therefore, we will examine these aspects in some detail. 5.3.1 Tone We discussed tone of voice or paralanguage, in an earlier section on nonverbal communication. It was pointed out that the spoken words, however perfect, can convey a negative message, if the tone of voice is not consistent with what is said. Tone is equally important in conveying written messages, particularly business related messages.
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In written communication, tone refers to the way a statement sounds, which in turn, depends on the choice of words. A sentence or statement may be grammatically perfect, but may convey a negative message, if the choice of words is wrong. Example You failed to meet the sales target. The above statement has a negative tone, since it emphasizes what could not be achieved. The same idea could be expressed in a more positive tone, by emphasizing what could have been done instead. Example With a little extra effort, you could have achieved the target. The example shows that even a negative idea can be expressed in positive language through the use of appropriate words. The tone of business communication should also be confident. You should avoid language that makes you sound unsure of yourself. Consider the following example I hope you will agree that my qualifications match your job profile. Beginning the sentence with I hope creates the impression that you lack confidence in yourself. It might be better to say On reviewing my bio-data, you will find that my qualifications match your job needs in the following respects. While it is important to be self assured, avoid sounding over confident and pompous. Example I am sure you will agree that our Company has the best reputation for quality and service. Instead, something like We shall try to live up to our reputation for quality and service. would be more appropriate. Another aspect of tone is to sound courteous and sincere. This builds goodwill and good relations and increases the likelihood of a message achieving its objectives. Avoid statements such as the following

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You sent your complaint to the wrong department. You should have sent it to the shipping department. This sounds very discourteous and rude when responding to a customer complaint. Instead, it might be better to say We have sent your complaint to the concerned department, which will be contacting you shortly. Sincerity also means avoiding exaggeration and flattery, especially when communicating with customers. Consider the following examples 1. We are more interested in your satisfaction, than in making profits. 2. You are such a valued customer that we shall go to any lengths to earn your satisfaction. The first sentence sounds insincere, since the main objective of any organization is to make profits. The second sentence is exaggerated and unduly flatters the customer. It should be toned down by saying something such as We value your goodwill and will make quick efforts to ensure your satisfaction. Finally, the tone of business writing should be non-discriminatory. This means that the language that is used should not be offensive, irrespective of gender, religion or race. One way of ensuring this is to avoid sexist language by using neutral job titles, or titles that do not imply that a job is held only by a man. For example, the following titles should be used Chairperson, instead of Chairman. Salesperson, instead of Salesman If the readers gender is not known, use a non-sexist salutation such as Dear Customer, Investor, or Advertiser, instead of Dear Sir or Madam. Personal titles and salutations such as Dr., Professor, etc. should be also be used Wherever appropriate. 5.3.2 Emphasis and Subordination A business writer can be compared to an artist or a musician. Just like an artist or a musician tries to make certain elements stand out and others to get little attention, so too with the business writer. An important principle of
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business writing is to emphasize important ideas and to downplay unimportant ideas, so as to make the reader understand what you consider to be significant. Generally, pleasant and important thoughts are emphasized, while unpleasant and insignificant thoughts are subordinated or de-emphasized. Several techniques for emphasis may be used by the business writer Place the idea in the first paragraph or in the last paragraph, in order to get attention. Put the word that you wish to emphasize first or last in the sentence. Example Success comes through sincere efforts. Failure will result without them. Or, The event was a success. Without your efforts, it would have been a failure. Use the active voice to emphasize the doer of the action and the passive voice to emphasize the receiver of the action. Example John made the presentation. (Active) The presentation was made by John. (Passive). Use words such as primary, major and significant to lay emphasis. Example Cost is a significant factor to be taken into consideration. Use repetition. Example The Tata Nano is an inexpensive car. Inexpensive to purchase and Inexpensive to maintain. Number the ideas, so as to rank them in the order of importance Example The main reasons for his poor performance are 1) Lack of training 2) Lack of team skills and 3) Lack of motivation. Use visual elements such as bold type, capital letters, bigger font size and underlined words to emphasize key ideas. Example The Reva electric car is 25% LESS POLLUTING than other cars. Another point to be remembered regarding emphasis in business writing is to stress what is known as the you attitude, rather than the me attitude.

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This means explaining the benefits to the reader, understanding his situation and answering his unspoken question How is it relevant to me? Example Instead of saying, Our bank will be open 24 hours, say You will be able to avail of round-the-clock banking service. 5.3.3 Write at an Appropriate Level of Readability A third very important rule of business writing is to tailor your writing to your audience and to make it simple enough for even a layperson to read and understand. As pointed out in an earlier section, readability is determined by the length of words and sentences. Robert Gunning developed what is known as the Fog Index or a readability formula to measure the readability of a piece of writing. According to this formula, the appropriate reading level in business writing should be between 8 and 11. Calculation of the Fog Index involves the following steps 1. Select a written passage of approximately 100 words. 2. Calculate the average length of a sentence by dividing the total number of words in the passage by the number of sentences. 3. Find the number of difficult words. A word may be defined as difficult if it contains three or more syllables (e.g. communication).Determine the number of difficult words per hundred, by dividing the total number of words in the passage into the number of difficult words, then by multiplying this figure by 100. 4. Add the number of difficult words per hundred and the average sentence length. 5. Multiply the figure obtained in step 4 by 0.4, to calculate the reading grade level for which the passage was written, or the Fog Index. Ideally, the Fog Index should be between 8 and 11 for most business writing, indicating that a reader between the eighth grade and the eleventh grade should be able to understand it without difficulty. Activity Select an article from any business publication and measure its readability by calculating the Fog Index. Is the level of readability appropriate for the audience?

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Self Assessment Question Fill in the Blanks 7. The tone of business writing should not be ________ and _________. 8. Using the passive voice is a technique of _____________________. 9. Saying Our products are synonymous with quality and affordability is an example of ____________ _________________. 10. Readability is determined by ______________ ________________. 11. Saying Manpower instead of Human Resources is an example of ______________________ ______________________.

5.4 Summary
This unit explained some important guidelines for written communication in general and for business writing in particular. Regarding general writing, some tips on how to improve writing style through the choice of appropriate words were offered, such as Choosing short, uncomplicated words Using parts of speech correctly Avoiding jargon, slang and colorful language The appropriateness of the active and passive voice for different situations was also highlighted. The active voice draws attention to the doer of the action, while the passive voice draws more attention to the receiver of the action and is used in some types of business writing, such as reports. Regarding spelling, some common errors tend to be made in the following areas Confusion between British and American spellings Confusion between the spelling of the noun and verb form of certain words Mistakes in spelling of similar sounding words that have different meanings The main categories of punctuation and their uses were also explained in some detail.

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Some common mistakes made with regard to English language usage were pointed out, such as Redundancies, or use of unnecessary words Cliches, or worn out and overused phrases Frequent misuse of similar sounding words Business writing differs from general writing in terms of being more formal in tone. Some rules of good business writing include Making the tone positive, courteous, confident, sincere and nondiscriminatory, through the proper choice of words. Knowing which ideas to emphasize and which ones to downplay. Some techniques for doing this include placing ideas at the beginning or at the end, using active and passive voice, using emphatic words, repetition of words, use of visual elements and numbering of ideas. Stressing the you attitude, or benefits to the reader Writing at an appropriate level of readability. A formula for calculating the readability of a piece of writing, the Fog Index, was also explained.

5.5 Terminal Questions

1. Select any piece of general writing from a newspaper or magazine, of approximately 250 words in length. Evaluate it by determining the number of simple and complicated words, the correct usage of parts of speech and the use of jargon, slang and metaphors. Is it well or badly written, in your opinion? 2. What are some of the consequences of spelling and punctuation errors, redundancies, clichs and misuse of words? 3. How does general writing differ from business writing, in terms of language, style and tone?

5.6 Answers
Answers to Self Assessment Questions 1. 2. 3. 4. F T F F
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5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.

T i) e, ii) a, iii) d, iv) b, v) c Negative/insincere/discourteous/exaggerated / discriminatory Subordination/de-emphasis My attitude Sentence length/word length Sexist language/discriminatory tone

Answers to Terminal Questions 1. Refer 5.2.1 2. Refer 5.2.3 and 5.2.4 3. Refer 5.2 and 5.3

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